A unique hybrid of text and readings, this book combines the major writings of sociology's core classical and contemporary theorists with an historical as well as theoretical framework for understanding them. Laura Desfor Edles and Scott A Appelrouth provide not just a biographical and theoretical summary of each theorist/reading, but an overarching scaffolding which students can use to examine, compare and contrast each theorists' major themes and concepts. No other theory text combines such student-friendly explanation and analysis with original theoretical works.

Key features include:

• Pedagogical devices and visual aids - charts, figures and photographs - to help summarize key concepts, illuminate complex ideas and provoke student interest

• Chapters on well-known figures, such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Parsons and Foucault as well as an in-depth discussion of lesser known voices, such as Charlotte Perkins-Gilman, WEB Du Bois, and Leslie Sklair

• Photos of not only the theorists, but of the historical milieu from which the theories arose as well as a glossary at the back